This summit was activated on Sunday 10th April 2005, by myself, accompanied by Jimmy and Liam.  The previous day, I worked Sam 2E0UPT/P on Shining Tor G/SP-004, and continued listening as he reported the horrible weather. I was in the parking area on the side of Gun Moor glancing up through the gloom at the trig point. Maybe another time I decided, but nonetheless I put out a few CQ calls as "GX4BJC/P on Gun Moor". Yep, unashamed attention seeking it was, and one station admitted replying to the call thinking that there was a SOTA point on offer!

In any case, we had some more time to kill this afternoon, so Jimmy, Liam and myself returned to the same spot. The weather on arrival was initially not too dissimilar to yesterday, with big dark grey clouds looming, but we soon saw that the blue skies were opening up and the sun was threatening to shine. An activation of Gun G/SP-013 was very much in order. We walked up the unsteep short boggy path to the summit, and by the time we attained the trig point, the weather was positively glorious. I'd like to say that it remained so during our activation, but sadly it improved further, and later we were driving home wishing we were still activating.

We spent just under 1.5 hours on the summit, sat in heather in lee of the wind, while Liam set up his play tent. First up was Steve G1INK/P on the adjacent hill to me - The Cloud G/SP-015 - which is striking in the view from Gun, appearing as the dramatic right-hand (north) end to the concave ridge from Mow Cop (sub-Marilyn) to the south. We listened with great amusement as Steve tried to convince everyone on 2m FM and SSB that he was situated on Gun. We were able to give Alan M1EYO the point today, after drawing him in under false pretences yesterday!

We rounded off the afternoon with a refreshing drink at the Harrington Arms in Bosley, but were stood-up by Steve, who preferred to work his pile-up on 40m than turn up for a beer as agreed! Never mind, it was my round, and it turned out to be a cheap round. It's still your round next time Steve!  

Thanks to the following stations, all worked on 2m:

On Sunday 19th June 2005, we went round to my dad's for Jimmy and Liam's keyboard lessons, and it was Father's Day of course.  Jimmy had made me a card at school with a picture of Mount Everest on he had found from the internet.  In fact most birthday etc cards I get now have pictures of mountains on - anyone else found this? 

Following this, we drove up to the highest point of the road between Meerbrook and Rushton Spencer in the Staffordhire Moorlands and made the short walk to the trig point on Gun G/SP-013.  This time, having completely run down the FT-817 the night before, and not bothered to charge it other than by trickling, I would have to use the Icom converted PMR handy.  Furthermore, this would have to be with its own awful rubber duck aerial, me having damaged the SMA-to-BNC adaptor recently.  So no SOTA Beam, nor even FT-817 rubber duck, which is much better than that on the Icom!  Shirley MW0YLS was worked first, following which I had a long QSO with Adam M3SXO/M, a former pupil of mine playing radio up on Mow Cop (a submarilyn).  I then worked a station, like myself in the Staffordshire Moorlands, but location not given since he was the target in a Foxhunt event.  And that was it.  I wouldn't have gained anything by a 4th contact, having already activated this hill this year, but it would have been nice. 

There were some black sharp-edged clouds in the sky, but not over us, and not moving.  The Cheshire Plain appeared to be under a very heavy downpour, but the edge of this looked to be remaining in Macclesfield.  However, at 4pm, the skies did darken, and we packed up.  Just as we started the car, the first raindrops hit the windscreen.  I wondered whether most people, given the storm, had disconnected their antennas and switched off, or whether my rubber duck was just as bad as I susected it to be.  Probably both I decided.  

Thanks to the following stations, worked on 2m FM with 4 watts:

From Cloudside, we drove across to the parking spot for Gun G/SP-013, but it was now pelting it down.  Liam accepted the option to wait in the car, so I left him a spare handheld tuned to 145.325MHz.  At this point, Steve G1INK joined the day's activities, and set off to set his 10m aerial up at the summit.  This time I managed to remember my choice of frequency, so I did indeed QSY to 325 each time from the calling channel, and Liam had his "half-time entertainment".  The second Sotacache of the day was located and signed, but Jimmy and myself stuck to the minimum four contacts each, as the weather was very wet and unpleasant, and there were still three other activators up and running on HF. 

A large walking party passed us, and we fielded the inevitable jibes about fishing, and the questions about what we were doing.  The similarly inevitable follow-up queries about what hills were included duly followed, and the explanation of the 'Marilyn' definition was met with a wider grin than usual.  The woman asking was called Marilyn!  This was too good an opportunity to miss, so we posed together at the trig point, and I am now the proud owner of a photograph of myself with a Marilyn on a Marilyn!

We set off along the country lanes through Wincle to our agreed rendezvous at the Hanging Gate in Wildboarclough.  The restaurant was fully booked, but the proprietors managed to work in a table for six, even though our arrivals were staggered - Keith and Stuart managed to get lost en route!  Jimmy and myself had the Thai lemon chicken with new potatoes, while Liam had the Rogan Josh.  Steve indulged in the cod, while the late arriving Keith and Stuart plumped for the soup of the day.  It was very nice albeit a bit pricey.  I forget the name of the ale, but it was something like Hyde's Golden Jekyll, and it was so nice I had to have another out of politeness.

Thanks to the following stations, worked on 2m FM with 2.5 watts: